Chapter 4 #2
Hamish wasn’t sure why he was sending mixed signals to Donal.
He did think she was beautiful, but he also thought she was out of his reach.
He was a lowly captain in the MacKenzie fighting force and it had taken him years to achieve that.
He’d never be anything more than what he was.
It seemed obvious to him that she deserved a man with status, not someone like him.
He ate his meal in silence, occasionally checking to see if Elle was looking his way.
He was happy to note she was engaging in conversation with the MacKenzies.
The Laird said something that made her laugh.
She responded and everyone at the table laughed along with her.
Hamish couldn’t hear what they were saying.
He wished he were sitting there beside her, enjoying the conversation and laughter, but he’d never been invited to sit at the head table, and why should he be. It wasn’t his place.
***
“The lasses tell me ye’ve a beautiful singing voice, Elle,” Robert MacKenzie said. “I hope ye’ll honor us with a song after we’ve eaten.”
“Oh, I don’t know if that would be a good idea. I don’t know any songs from this time,” she said. “And besides, I don’t have any musicians to help me out.”
“Couldn’t you sing acapella?” Ashley asked.
“Please,” Jenna said.
Elle looked out over the people all happily enjoying their food and conversation.
It wasn’t her usual concert crowd, but she thought she could probably pull something off.
She definitely couldn’t sing one from the new album, those songs only worked in dance clubs.
Actually, she didn’t have to sing any of those pop songs that had been on her albums. There was no contract to follow here.
She could sing anything she wanted. Ideas flew around her brain, it was so freeing to be able to pick any song she wanted.
She felt herself smile as one song in particular stood out from the others.
It was a song she’d always loved, one of the first really good songs she had written.
Even though she hadn’t sung it in forever, she thought it would be perfect.
“Alright,” she said, the ladies giggled their excitement.
Irene looked thoughtfully at her, “Thank you, Elle, this will be a wonderful gift for all of us.” Irene smiled at her, she had the most beautiful blue eyes.
“I’m curious, how did you decide to become a pop singer?” Ashley wondered.
“You know, I didn’t always want to be a pop singer. As a matter of fact, I still don’t, but it’s what sells.”
“What did you want to do?” Jenna asked.
“I love bluesy, soulful rock, but there’s not much call for that any more.”
“Have you tried adding that to your repertoire?”
“No. My manager won’t let me. He says if I want to be relevant I need to stick with pop songs.”
“You should sneak some into your tour and see how people respond to it,” Ashley suggested.
“Maybe I should,” Elle responded. She was enjoying herself.
The conversation with the MacKenzie’s had been easier than she’d imagined.
As for Ashley and Jenna, they were starting to feel like old friends, offering her advice and ideas.
She realized she hadn’t seen Sara since coming to dinner, and wondered where she was.
She glanced around the great hall, but couldn’t find her. “Where’s Sara?”
“She’s at home with Logan,” Jenna said.
“Oh … will she be back?”
“If she finds out you’re going to sing, I’d bet on it.” Ashley replied.
“Someone should tell her then,” Elle smiled.
***
“I’m going back to the barracks,” Hamish said. He nodded to the men at the table and was just about to stand when Robert spoke.
“I hope you’ll all stay with us for a while longer.
We have an honored guest here this evening and she has agreed to sing for us.
I understand she has a lovely singing voice.
” He gestured to Elle, who stood and walked to a spot near the hearth.
Hamish noted that she appeared nervous, fidgeting with her dress as she cast her gaze out over the hall.
Her eyes met his and she smiled. There was a commotion at the entrance to the hall that attracted her attention away from him.
“I hope I’m not too late.” An out of breath Sara hurried into the hall, followed by her husband, Logan, who wore a bemused expression. His arms reached out to steady her as she nearly tripped over her own dress, and he guided her to a seat near the hearth.
“I’m happy you made it,” Elle said to her.
“Me, too,” Sara responded.
Elle cleared her throat. Her eyes settled on Hamish once again as she began to sing.
The lilting, angelic tone of her voice floated through the hall leaving all present rapt by the words she sang and the emotions it evoked.
Because she was looking directly at him, Hamish couldn’t help but feel she was singing to him, but why would she be?
The hills are brown, no flowers in bloom;
The air is chilled, the sky is still blue.
I felt so alone,
Until I met you.
Your strong arms wrapped, around me so tight.
You held me close, everything felt right.
Could this be the love meant to be?
Could this be the love for me?
This was a love song. She hardly knew him and he was sure she didn’t love him.
The words of the song and the now sultry quality of her voice said otherwise.
He was mesmerized, unable to look away. She’d been attractive to him before, but now he knew he wanted her.
This one song explained what Edna meant about her being all his.
The song was over and the people in the hall cheered her performance, but Hamish sat quietly, his head reeling.
What does this all mean? He shook himself from his reverie.
Not knowing what to do or say, he thought it best to leave before making a fool of himself in front of Donal and his men.
He stood without glancing her way and left the hall.
The cool crisp air as he burst from the castle into the courtyard was exactly what he needed to set himself straight.
Elle’s song cast some sort of spell on him and now that he was out in the open, common sense took hold of him once again.
A good night’s sleep was what he needed and was what he intended to have.
***
Elle was surprised when Hamish up and left without a word of acknowledgment. Maybe he didn’t enjoy the song. Everyone else seemed to, but still her heart hurt a bit.
“That was amazing,” Sara said, taking her by the hand. “I want you to meet my husband.” She led Elle over to a tall, dark and handsome man, who was smiling indulgently at Sara. “This is Logan.”
“I’m pleased to meet you,” Elle said.
“As I am ye,” Logan replied. “I’ve been hearing about ye all afternoon.”
Elle glanced at Sara, who seemed a bit embarrassed.
“I’m sorry. I’m just so excited that you’re here. I love your voice. I love your music. And I love what you just did. It’s so different from your usual.”
“Thank you, Sara. I thought it would be best for this time period, but truth-be-told, it’s my first love. The pop music is simply business.”
“Well, I loved it, but I’m a poor judge. I love everything you do.”
“You’re too sweet.” Elle squeezed Sara’s hand, which still had a tight grip on hers.
She received complimentary reviews from everyone who spoke with her and she promised she’d sing for them again soon.
“I’m feeling a little exhausted,” Elle said.
“I’ll see you tomorrow then?” Sara asked.
“You will.” Sara let go of her hand. Elle said good night to her hosts and hoped she’d find her way back to her room without getting lost.
“I’ll walk with you,” Ashley said. “I’m going up now, too.”
“Thanks. I was worried I’d get lost.”
“That song was beautiful. Did you write it?”
“I did.” It was a song she’d written years ago and one she was very proud of.
“Do you write all your own songs?”
“No. I don’t have it in me to write the stuff I’ve been doing recently.” Those songs meant nothing to her and perhaps that was her problem. People could tell she wasn’t feeling it, but she couldn’t manufacture emotion for songs that didn’t come from …
“Too bad. You can tell it really came from the heart. Everyone loved it.”
“I don’t know about everyone. Hamish left as soon as the song was over. He didn’t say anything to me.”
“Hmmm … Interesting. He was probably as tired as you are. He gets up early and he’s got a lot of responsibility now that he’s a captain.”
“That’s fairly recent then?”
Ashley nodded. “No one deserves it more. He’s worked hard to get where he is.”
They reached Elle’s room. She’d have liked to continue the conversation, but if she didn’t lay down soon, she’d probably drop right where she stood.
“I’ll see you in the morning,” Ashley said.
“Good night.”
She opened the door to a candlelit room. Someone had started a fire in the hearth, for which she was grateful. A linen shift had been laid out on the bed.
The sound of someone walking up behind her caused her to jump and spin.
“I beg yer pardon,” Helene said. “I only came to see if there was anything else ye’d be needing.”
“Did you do all this?” Elle asked.
“Aye.”
“Thank you.”
Helene smiled warmly at her. “Yer song was verra lovely.”
“You liked it?”
“Aye. ’Twas quite romantic.” She walked past Elle and turned down the bed.
“I wasn’t sure it would translate well to this time.”
“It did.” Helene turned to face her. “Let me help ye with yer dress,” Helene suggested.
“Oh. Good idea.” Elle turned her back to Helene, who expertly unlaced her and then helped her out of the dress.
“Helene, why does everyone here seem so happy?”
“Mayhap ’tis because they are. ’Tis nae to say there aren’t troubles that arise. What would life be without them?”
“True.” She wondered what kind of troubles could possibly befall this idyllic place.
“Good night, then. Me husband awaits me downstairs.” Helene walked to the door and out into the passageway.
“Good night, Helene,” Elle called after her, closing the door and once again feeling much too alone.